LHC directs govt to complete work on 8 jails by next June

LAHORE: Justice Muhammad Farrukh Irfan Khan of the Lahore High Court has directed the Punjab government to complete the construction of eight jails in the province by June 30, 2015 The construction of central jail in Rawalpindi and district jails in Layyah, Narowal, Lodhran, Hafizabad, Khanewal, Rajanpur and Gojra had started in 2004.The judge issued these directives while hearing a petition filed by Rida Qazi for improving the conditions prevailing in jails and to provide proper space and cells to inmates according to humanitarian requirements.A prisons deputy inspector general (DIG) submitted that 2,923 posts for staff had been advertised in newspapers and that the National Testing Service (NTS), Islamabad, would conduct physical as well as written tests of candidates. He said that review boards headed by retired district and sessions judges would monitor the entire recruitment process to be completed by June 21, 2014. He assured that all of the appointments would be made strictly on merit.The judge observed that reports received from departments concerned were inconsistent and incomplete. The judge appointed DIG Waqas Qadeer Dar as a representative of the court and directed him to contact and coordinate with the petitioner’s counsel and officials of all departments concerned and submit a detailed report by next hearing on May 29.The additional home secretary said that the matter had been brought to the notice of the chief minister and that the orders of the court would be complied with.